


Colliding

by tessdebelle



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Framework, framework fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 05:46:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13583529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tessdebelle/pseuds/tessdebelle
Summary: Post 5x10 - Phil Coulson is dying. Living in the Framework can at least slow it down.





	Colliding

**Author's Note:**

> Basically the concept that Coulson could live in the Framework, at least while the team could try to find a cure for him, and be kept alive without causing damage to the world. Big thanks to my beta Claire!

The first to visit were Fitz and Simmons.

Phil had only been in the framework a couple of weeks. Simmons had said she would study his illness, and find a way to save him, but Phil wasn’t so sure it was possible - not after everything Elena had said about what happened when they attempted to save him. Still, this was the best way to try it without endangering anyone else.

Frankly, he was bored. The world had been limited much more - from the wild, Hydra driven world Aida had created, Fitz had programmed in a small house for him, a home in which to live. He only needed to think of something for it to appear. He spent his days there finding new hobbies - cooking again, collecting memorabilia, he’d attempted knitting even (with disastrous results). Even though it felt good to do something, nothing really satisfied him - not when he knew it was all fake. 

Several cameras placed around the new SHIELD base gave him an insight into what was happening with his team. This was most of what he did - spend hours watching the screens, watching the team press forward without him. He saw Simmons working on his body, trying to discover a way to save him. Saw Daisy growing and learning how to lead SHIELD. It hurt to watch, but he wanted the team to be happy without him. 

“It’s strange to see you like this, sir.” Jemma said quietly. He turned and saw Fitz and Simmons. No one had visited him yet - he knew there was a little bit of hesitation, after their past experiences with the Framework - but it felt good to see them. He craved affection, craved touch, craved warmth. He greeted both with hugs that they seemed surprised to be given but they smiled, holding him close. He sat down as the two of them talked about what was going on in the real world, everything they were doing, went on about their engagement and how they didn’t want to get married yet, that they wanted to wait a little while in the hopes that he could be at their wedding.

Phil lost track of time, happy just to have someone to talk to, but it got late and he knew Fitz and Simmons would want to get back to their work. They said goodbye, and he was left alone again.

The days went by in a blur, and got a little easier. He had a routine - each day, he’d wake up and make breakfast. He’d spend a few hours on whatever hobby he’d recently been trying - so far he’d tried knitting, several computer games, and a few magic tricks. He was now onto learning to play the piano, and was terrible at it. After a couple hours of that, he’d have lunch and sit for a while, watching the team. One screen would show him what Daisy was doing, and he would enjoy watching her - she was a great leader, as he knew she would be. After that he’d have dinner and read comics. He hadn’t had time for them in the real world, so it was nice to catch up.

Not as nice as it would have been to read them in real life, though.

Once he had been in the framework for three months, Elena came to visit, and played chess with him. He enjoyed that. She wasn’t good at it at first, but after a little while she got really good, and began to beat him. The two of them joked around, and she told him all about the adventures the team had gone on, new Inhumans they’d met, and how she was trying to reconnect with her friends who hadn’t handled her becoming an Inhuman well. 

“I have a surprise for you.” Elena said from the kitchen. Phil looked up from a crossword puzzle and beamed upon seeing Mack. From what he’d seen, Mack had been busy - Daisy had him going on assignments all over. 

Mack smiled and hugged Phil, and he was reminded of just how strong Mack was. It had been so long that he’d almost forgotten. 

The two of them caught up, and eventually, Mack confessed that he had started taking Lola on drives and doing occasional jobs on his car. Phil was playfully mad, but agreed it was for the best - the car should be driven around, not sitting and gathering rust. Mack also pulled him aside for another confession - that he was thinking about asking Elena to move in with him. Phil was overjoyed for them.

Eight months into his stay, Daisy finally showed up. She had been absolutely exhausted, apologizing profusely for not coming earlier, and Phil waved her off - she was the new director, and he understood better than most how little time she had. 

“What has it been like? Having everyone visit?” Daisy asked him. He’d cooked for them, although everything was starting to taste the same in the Framework, and now they set together on the couch having coffee.

He shrugged. “It’s nice. I don’t want people to take time out of their busy schedules for me.” He said honestly. “I can see all of you. It’s enough to know you’re safe.”

“We both know that’s not true.” Daisy said. 

Phil glanced at her. She’d grown up so much in just the time he’d been here, and even though he’d always seen himself as a father figure to her, she’d grown wise enough to know when he was lying. He was strangely proud. “I miss everyone. I miss life. I miss…” He trailed off, glancing up at the monitors.

One person hadn’t visited him, and he had no idea why.

“She took it harder than any of us.” Daisy said quietly, sipping her drink. “She was upset you didn’t tell her what was happening, and… Well, you can see her from the monitors.” 

Phil shrugged. “I don’t watch her much. I know she needs time.”

“But you miss her.” Daisy finished. “I’ll make sure she visits you. You deserve that.”

He let out a dry laugh. “Daisy, I don’t deserve anything from Melinda.” He said. God, he hadn’t said her name in so long, it almost felt foreign on his tongue. Almost.

“Goddamn it, Coulson, you were in love with the woman. Still are if I had to guess.” Daisy said. He looked up at her, more than a little surprised that she knew. 

Daisy looked down at her feet. “I saw what happened. With the LMD. I know you kissed her. I didn’t want to say anything.” She said. “I thought you guys needed time, it’s not my fault you took so damn long! And now you’re here, and she’s there, and I just want my parents to get together.” She said, sounding exasperated. 

Phil couldn’t help it. He laughed, smiling. “You’re not the only one.”

-

A full year. 

It had been a full year since Phil had entered the Framework. He was so bored he baked himself a cake, but wasn’t particularly hungry, so he blew out the candle, feeling pathetic. He missed the team. He missed his family. He missed his partner. 

He sobbed over the cake, each teardrop making little divots in the messy icing. He hadn’t cried in a long time, through losing so many people he’d managed to hold it in, but now he held his head in his hands and cried, letting out all of the pain and anguish he felt. He wanted to go home. He wanted to be safe, he wanted to hold them in his arms and remember what it was like to have people who loved him close.

Phil was so busy crying that he hadn’t even noticed a hand rested on his shoulder, until it drifted to his chest - right where those veins were turning black, where darkness crept through his body - and another arm slipped around him, a head tucking neatly against his and nuzzling his neck comfortingly. 

The scent of green tea washed over him, so familiar and so different in the Framework, and Phil sobbed even harder as he pulled Melinda into his arms, holding her close as she wiped tears off his cheeks. 

He opened his eyes, desperate to see her, and smiled for what felt like the first time in ages. “You’ve got such a nice setup here. Ever thought about adding a moat?” Melinda asked him, sounding close to tears herself. 

Phil laughed in earnest, tears still streaming down his face as he smiled, cupping her cheek, winding a hand into her hair. It felt so good to have her close, to have this chance to see her. He didn’t know if his body would ever be repaired, if he’d ever be back for real, if he would survive this - or if he even deserved to - but he knew that even if he only lived another day, it would be worthless if he waited another moment longer. He pressed his lips to Melinda’s, salty tears mingling between his sobs and their lips, feeling her hands in his hair and nails pressing to his scalp, raw emotions colliding and bursting between the two of them as a kiss nearly thirty years in the making finally happened.

And, after all that waiting, it was damn well worth it.


End file.
